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This simple spiced pumpkin dump cake preps in minutes for a perfectly delicious shareable dessert all fall long!
The Perfect Fall Dessert!
We love dump cakes! Not only because of the simplicity, but also the TASTE (they’re usually always delicious!)
Our favorite flavors include Peach Dump Cake and Cherry Dump Cake, but in the fall, this pumpkin dump cake is the cake we have on repeat.
It’s called pumpkin dump cake, because you literally dump it, bake it, and enjoy it. Those are the kinds of treats we love, especially during a busy fall season. It’s why we think think this dessert is the Perfect fall dessert.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- No-fuss preparation. Dump cake requires minimal effort and time, making it an ideal easy cake recipe for busy schedules.
- Personalize it. You can experiment with different types of cake mixes and toppings to create unique flavor combinations.
- Fall and Holiday must-have. The combination of sweet pumpkin and buttery cake topping makes it a perfect fall dessert recipe and Thanksgiving dessert.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour
- 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin puree – Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree combined with sugar and extra spices. Pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin. Be sure to use pumpkin puree in the pumpkin dump cake recipe.
- 1 (16-ounce) can evaporated milk – not sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon ginger – Replace the ginger, cloves, and cinnamon with an equal amount of Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix – You are only using the dry cake mix. If you don’t have yellow cake mix, use a pumpkin spice cake mix
- 1 cup chopped pecans – or walnuts, toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, or crushed graham crackers
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
How to Make a Pumpkin Dump Cake
- PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- BATTER. Mix 1 can pumpkin puree, 1 can evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon cloves, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
- TOPPING. Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top then add 1 cup chopped pecans on top. Cut ¾ cup butter very thin and place them evenly over the crumble topping.
- BAKE + ENJOY! Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm topped with Whipped Cream or Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, and even a Caramel Sauce drizzle if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix pumpkin, milk, ginger, cloves, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.
- Sprinkle cake mix and chopped pecans on top.
- Cut butter very thin and cover all over the cake mix.
- Bake for 1 hour and serve warm with whipped cream. ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The bottom layer of this cake will be a bit gooey, but it should still be set enough to hold its shape when cut. The top section will have a more cake-like texture.
Yes! Whisk 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 3½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, plus 4 tablespoons butter (½ stick). Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter, and you’ve got a homemade yellow cake mix.
We like to serve this pumpkin dump cake recipe warm, but you can store leftovers, covered, in the fridge. It should last for at least 2 days.
Reheat a slice by microwaving in 30-second intervals until it is the desired temperature.
To freeze a whole baked cake, wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap and again with foil.
For the leftover cake, divide it into individual freezer containers. Thawovernight in the fridge and serve chilled or reheat the slices in the microwave.
RECIPIES SOUND AND LOOK DELICIOUS- I WANT TO TRY THE PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE.
Thanks so much!! I hope you will, I’d love to know what you think 🙂
well thank you for sharing this! have never heard of a dump cake before, like all of the pumpkin flavors already but had never just dumped them in a dish, guess that’s where the name comes from? Thank you for the pumpkin pie cheesecake bars too!
You are so welcome!! Let me know what you think, if you try it! ENJOY!
This is a great Cake made it Several times now ! Family loves it!
I’m so glad they like it!! Thanks for letting me know!
If I left out the pecans would it make a huge difference? I’m making it for a get together and one of my friends is allergic to nuts.
No, it just won’t have that crunch, but that’s ok 🙂 They will like it!! 🙂
I wonder if there is anything to sub for the nuts, that would give it crunch?
Coconut
Seeds. Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds are great substitutes for those with nut allergies.
Thanks for sharing!! Hopefully, that helps someone!
My husband can’t have nuts or seeds. I have found crushed toffee candy bits to be a good substitute when baking sweets.
Great idea!! Thank you for sharing!
That’s a good idea adding toffee bits
You could use walnuts. But since they are slightly more oily than pecans, you might want to tone it down on the butter by 4-7 slices
I actually substituted crushed heath bars for the pecans, and everyone raved over how good it was!!!
That sounds perfect!! Thanks for sharing that!
If I’m using homemade cake mix instead of boxed cake mix, should I mix a little bit of the pumpkin mixture into it so it cooks properly?
I haven’t tried, but I think that’s what I would do? Haha..I guess, I need to try using a homemade mix! Let me know how it turns out!
Although I love your recipes please delete me from your emails. I post many other recipes on my recipe pages. Yours is the only one that comes up with a double picture and I don’t want to post them.
What if I don’t have cloves or ginger? How much pumpkin pie spice do you suggest I substitute?
I would just do equal amounts. Start with a teaspoon & see if you need to add a little more. I hope that helps!
Do you realize that pumpkin pie spice has both ginger and cloves in it??
do you realize that pumpkin pie spice also has other spices, not just ginger and cloves?
No I didn’t.Thanks for the tip
She said you can substitute pumpkin pie spice for ginger and cloves. She stated it in the directions
Kristyn The pumpkin dump cake looks Delicious thank you so much for your recipe. Looking forward for more Recipes. Recipes
1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice about = 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp cloves.
This sounDed so good. I tried it and it was too much for my 11×14 pan. Also the cake mix did not blend or bake much it was just powder lying on top EXCEPT for patc of melted BUTTER. I WOULD half it or put into two pans and i WOULD mix the cake mix w Some cream or all the melted butter so it is bakeable. We were able to SALVAGE this by MIXING it all together snd baking 25 more min
What kind of pumpkin do you use, the pure pumpkin? I love pumpkin and want to make this.
It’s just a can of pumpkin. The can says something like 100% pumpkin. I hope that helps!! Hope you like the recipe!
Pumpkin Puree is is plain pumpkin, (not spiced) and since you are adding spices, it is better to use this.
Is the cake mix added to the pumpkin mixture, wasn’t sure. Sounds delicious.
You will sprinkle it on top of the pumpkin mixture, in the pan 🙂 It’s in step 3. Hope that helps & hope you like it!!
Can I substitute spice cake mix for white?
I haven’t tried, but there’s one way to find out how it would taste 😉 Let me know!
This pumpkin dump cake recipe looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing this kristyn.
You are so welcome!! Hope you’ll try it soon!!
Sounds Great can’t wait to try it for Thanksgiving.
Hope it’s a hit!!